Let us IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER in 2022

The SSCC team started 2022 with a very fruitful Theory of Change (ToC) meeting to help identify, manage and amplify our impact. From left to right: Juanita Möller, Annette Botha, Sumaya Gabier, Sonja van der Bank, Colin Habberton & Anele Ngcwabe (from Relativ Group), Xolisa Nakele, Trudie Schoeman and Berthold Alheit.

Dr. Colin Habberton, co-founder and Executive Director of the Relativ Group facilitated this session and emphasized that many investment companies started looking seriously at organisations' ToC in the past 10 years, before investing funds.

At the beginning of 2021, Dr Habberton hosted a ToC workshop to help enhance the NPO sector. We are looking forward to hosting this year's first virtual workshop about the Theory of Change on 24 February, facilitated by Dr. Colin Habberton.

Juanita Möller recently joined the SSCC team as the Support Hub coordinator and Co-COO.

She earned a BSc Degree and Higher Diploma in Education from UCT in 1993 and 1994 respectively and has more than 24 years experience in the Training and Development field, of which 7 years were spent as an Educator in the Further Education & Training, General Education and Training phases. She also spent 17 years in Skills Development - of which 15 years in the Sector Education and Training authority space, where she specifically worked within the Health and Social Development Sectors.

“I believe that each person is born with a specific set of gifts and talents to achieve the vision they were born with. Many people however do not recognize this within themselves. By employing my passion for skills development, as well as my innovative and creative abilities, I want to unlock and unleash these gifts and talents by empowering anyone and everyone I meet on life’s journey, so that they can achieve their vision and life goals. In doing so ignite their families, communities, our country, and the world, to build a better and brighter future for all”.

Sumaya Gabier is a retired teacher and deputy principal, who volunteers her time and expertise to SSCC and schools in the Helderbeg Basin.

"I am so grateful to the Almighty who has granted me 43 years in this noble profession (36 years at Dr GJ Joubert Primary in Strand). I see this as a calling and therefore I loved teaching and the children so much. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to become involved at Strong Schools - in order to live my passion as a teacher, by supporting and mentoring teachers.

What keeps her motivated?
"I am a very positive person, passionate about what I do and believe that whatever I do, I need to give my best. I believe in a positive attitude, am a "go-getter" and a life-long learner.

I do not believe in “I can’t do it”, but rather “I will try my best to do it”. People around me are my motivation and inspiration. I am constantly thinking what I can do next to serve humanity. Someone once said to me “you are born to serve” and I thank God for that.

"Sometimes the most ordinary things can be made extraordinary,
simply by doing it with the right people." - Nicholas Sparks.

This quote came to life when a team of volunteers from Capitec Bank selflessly dedicated their time and talents to brighten up the Grade R playground of Sir Lowry's Pass Primary School.

Capitec volunteers also blessed workers of the school with vouchers. The ladies helped Capitec with the cleaning up and paintwork of the play area. A warm THANK YOU to CAPITEC for coming alongside Strong Schools to make Sir Lowry's Pass Primary school a stronger school by improving their learning environment.

The new Gr R-learners of Sir Lowry's Pass Primary, playing on their beautifully revamped play ground.

We are looking forward to building relationships, maximising teamwork and collaborating with the schools and all other stakeholders, to make a difference in the lives of everyone involved at our schools.

IS YOUR ORGANISATION'S THEORY OF CHANGE
- A PRACTICAL STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK - IN PLACE?

Make sure you register for our next virtual workshop!

Please share this information with other FOR PURPOSE organisations. Look at our website and Enhancing the NPO sector FB page for more information.

"Giving is not just about making a donation, it's about making a difference."
- Kathy Calvin

With our December fundraiser, we were able to raise another R10000 towards our schools' projects. Marius and Alet Rossouw were the privileged winners of the Oudrif weekend away! Thank you to Oudrif Farm for this wonderful gift and to all our local sponsors.

THANK YOU to everyone who bought tickets, invited friends and contributed.
Every R100 makes a difference!

"LOCAL IS LEKKER!", so please support these businesses.
(Look at our gifts and sponsors: https://strongschools.co.za/fundraisers/)

Berthold Alheit's reflections on his journey with Strong Schools (Director, Finance and Governance)

I got involved with Strong Schools in August 2021 when I was invited to serve as a Director on their Board. Strong Schools Community Collaborative (SSCC) is in my view best described as an enabling organsation that aims to improve and grow under-resourced schools in the Helderberg Basin to become STRONG SCHOOLS.

SSCC was and is a young start-up NPO, established right before the first Covid lock-down. By grace SSCC managed to not only survive, but also to grow and to really start blooming as a special and unique FOR PURPOSE organisation.

Our NPO is managed by energetic entrepreneurs and overseen by a solid Board with directors that have teaching, organisational management, HR and financial expertise and skills. We are a team with a very small permanent staff, supported by dedicated volunteers with deep specialist knowledge of the school system, teaching and the roles of principals and school management teams.

Over the past two years SSCC managed to build on the trust relations embedded over the previous 5 years by the Camino Consulting Group in a few of the Helderberg Basin’s under-resourced schools to where it currently has agreements and associated School Support Hubs in place with 5 of these schools. The Support Hub forms a springboard where the specific school, SSCC, the WCED, local community and some sponsors in collaboration evaluate the school’s 1-year School Improvement Plan (SIP) and 3-year School Development Plan (SDP), determine priorities and formulate action plans to achieve set goals. Potential suppliers and stakeholders are identified and sponsors then sought for each project. The SSCC team’s role is to enable collaboration between all the stakeholders to ensure that the plans are executed and to act as honest broker between sponsors, suppliers and the school and to assist with the required logistics in execution.

The enthusiasm, drive and commitment of the staff and volunteers, coupled to the joy of successful ventures and the open honest approach across the board, team members, sponsors, principals and collaborators is what produces energy and pride and makes it a pure pleasure to play a small part in this drive towards having more “STRONG SCHOOLS” in the Helderberg Basin and later also across South Africa.

Consider joining us on this journey to impact more lives through improved education.

Giving back is easy and it won't cost you a cent!
SMS "Sign Up" to 31231 and they will call you back,

or call 0860 100 445.

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We appreciate your support and prayers.
Stay safe and be blessed!